Mortgage and Real Estate Fraud - Mortgage Fraud News - 11 people indicted in Jacksonville area Mortgage Fraud Surge

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 2:10 PM

2:10PM

11 people indicted in Jacksonville area Mortgage Fraud Surge

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 2:10PM

Last updated 11/9/2009

We now know that 107 people were charged in the Mortgage Fraud Surge and they are all listed below by the area in which they were charged [click here for full list]. It will take many hours to read through all the documents and give you a precis of each, will keep you informed of progress:

Tampa Bay area

Bakowski, Peter , Mortgage Broker, Pled: Mortgage broker orchestrated a Ponzi Scheme involving more than 30 investors - some as old as 90 and 91.
Bentley, Roger , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Bentley allegedly inflated his monthly income by more than 300% to defraud a lender and secure a mortgage he was financially unqualified for.
Brower, Corey , President of Mortgage Company, Pled: Husband and wife together orchestrated a mortgage fraud scheme that caused a loss of about $68,500,000 to financial institutions and about $9,500,000 to HUD.
Brower, Sandi , Officer of Mortgage COmpany, Pled: Husband and wife together orchestrated a mortgage fraud scheme that caused a loss of about $68,500,000 to financial instructions and about $9,500,000 to HUD.
Cole, Steven David , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Cole allegedly secured a $300,000 loan by falsely inflating his monthly income.
Cortes, Anibal , Multiple Borrower, Pled: Cortes obtained two loans on condos after he lied about his employment information.
Cortes, Jorge , Multiple Borrower, Pled: Cortes obtained two loans in excess of $400,000 by inflating his monthly income and disguising a family loan as his bank account balance.
Fabry, Michelle , Real Estate Agent, Charged: Closing agent allegedly concealed that the financial institution was providing 100% financing when it believed that the buyer was making a substantial down payment.
Farinha, Jose F. , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Farinha allegedly provided a false and unfiled tax return to support his mortgage loan application.
Gates, Lakeisha , Worked at Mortgage Company, Pled: Participated in a scheme in which she would buy properties using false income and employment information.
Griffin, Randy , Title Agent, Pled: Title agent lied on mortgage application about $532,500 down payment, allowing the buyer to secure a nearly $1.5 million mortgage.
Horvath, Klara , Real Estate Agent, Sentenced: Horvath defrauded lenders out of about $775,000 in mortgage loans they would have not issued by falsifying employment and income data.
Likane, Richard , Multiple Borrower, Charged: This borrower allegedly secured mortgages by inflating his income - claiming he made more than $12,000 a month when he was actually a self-employed day trader who was losing money.
Lima, Gilberto , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Mortgage broker allegedly falsified mortgage applicants’ information to qualify them for a loan they otherwise would not have been approved for.
Martinez, Jason , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Mortgage broker allegedly provided false information in support of numerous mortgage applications in a property-flipping scheme.
Murillo, Jessica , Investor, Charged: Murillo allegedly claimed significantly inflated monthly income by using false and unfiled income tax returns to support her mortgage application.
Porcelli, Peter , Founder of Non-Profit “Rescue” Corporation, Charged: Under the guise of foreclosure assistance, Porcelli allegedly used non-profit organizations to swindle distressed homeowners.
Sanchez, Beatriz , Borrower and Notary Public, Charged: Sanchez allegedly used one piece of property as collateral to secure numerous loans, indicating each time that the property was not already encumbered.
Scott, Eric , Co-Owner of Mortgage Company, Charged: Scott allegedly allowed false information to be used on mortgage applications and engaged in a nominee buying scheme intended to defraud lenders.
Scott, Gretchen , Co-Owner of Mortgage Company and Mortgage Broker, Charged: Scott allegedly allowed false information to be used on mortgage applications and engaged in a nominee buying scheme intended to defraud lenders.
Shefkenov, Strahil l, Multiple Borrower, Charged: Shefkenov allegedly lied on his mortgage applications, claiming he was a U.S. citizen.
Socorro, Jorge , Manager of Mortgage Company, Charged: Allegedly took part in a pyramid scheme involving fraudulently obtained mortgages.
Stapleton, Christopher , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Stapleton allegedly bought numerous properties using false income information, and he allegedly inflated the purchase price.
Straub, William , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Straub, along with some co-conspirators, allegedly defrauded a lending institution out of millions by falsifying the purchase price of homes.
Stringer, Thomas , State Judge/Borrower, Pled: Stringer lied about the source of a down payment, claiming it was his money, when, in fact, it was borrowed.
Valentin, Nestor , Loan Processor, Charged: Allegedly inflated the sales price and lied about his employment and income information on the mortgage application.
Watson, Roy , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Watson allegedly secured nearly $700,000 in mortgage loans after providing false information about his monthly income and intent to occupy the home on the mortgage application.
Wilson, Charles , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Husband of Lynda Wilson, allegedly attested to the truthfulness of his wife’s inflated income on the mortgage application.
Wilson, Lynda , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Wilson allegedly inflated her legitimate income to lenders to induce them to loan funds.

Fort Myers area

Antelo, Oscar , Unlicensed Mortgage Broker, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Bonilla, Roy , Real Estate Broker, Charged: Real Estate broker allegedly started his own title company and issued fraudulent title policies to obtain numerous mortgages.
Braga, Bruno , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Braga allegedly provided false employment information to secure numerous mortgages.
Campagnolo, Roger , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Mortgage broker allegedly inflated a buyer’s bank account allowing him to qualify for a mortgage.
Carter, Douglas , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Carter allegedly swindled hopeful homebuyers out of their down payments, obtained fraudulent mortgages, and then defaulted on the loans.
Cassis, Alfredo , Realtor’s Assistant, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Cassis, Said , Realtor, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Chughtai, Shanawar , Silent Principal of Mortgage Lending Group, Charged: Chughtai allegedly used his wife’s identity - without her knowledge or consent - to secure a mortgage.
Contreras, Maria , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Mortgage broker allegedly inflated a buyer’s monthly income to secure a $339,000 mortgage.
Eguez, Gabriel , Realtor, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Fawcett, Scott , Realtor, Charged: Realtor allegedly lied about a buyer’s bank account, claiming it was $353,309.09 when he knew it was only $13.57.
Giraldo, Maria Elena , Real Estate Associate, Charged: Real estate sales associate allegedly recruited straw borrowers and falsified mortgage applications, convincing a bank to issue $6 million dollars in mortgages.
Gonzalez, Juan , Mortgage Company President and Loan Officer, Charged: Allegedly lied about applicants’ monthly income on two mortgages.
Gray, Patricia , Seller, Found Guilty: Schemed with the buyer, mortgage broker, and another party to secure a mortgage based upon fraudulent gift money.
Higa, Mauricio , Realtor, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Hurtado, Juan Pablo , Realtor and Mortgage Broker, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Katz, Michael , Owner/Operator of Real Estate Development Businesses, Charged: Katz allegedly helped an applicant make misrepresentations on the mortgage application and secure $342,000 loan.
Landberg, Debra , Bank Branch Manager, Charged: Landberg allegedly helped to falsify a mortgage application by claiming the applicant’s bank balance was $353,209.09 when Landberg allegedly knew the balance actually totaled only $13.57.
Llorca, Damarys , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Llorca allegedly obtained a mortgage after lying about her employment and monthly income and inflating the purchase price.
McClendon, Jason , Licensed Contractor, Charged: Licensed contractor allegedly obtained $12,000 advance based on the fraudulent and false claim that it would be used to pay for services.
Meulenberg, Teresa , Manager of Escrow Account for a Title Company, Charged: Because of her employment with a title company, Meulenberg was allegedly able to wire funds belonging to the title company to herself and others not entitled to the funds.
Monteiro, Fabricio , Loan Originator, Charged: Allegedly applied for and received numerous mortgages using false employment information, overstated monthly income, and inflated purchase prices.
Oliveira, Tiago De , Borrower, Charged: Oliveira allegedly applied for a mortgage using false information - inflating the purchase price by $50,000.
Oliveira, Washington Augusto , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Oliveira allegedly obtained numerous mortgages after providing false information on the application including his employment and monthly income.
Paz, Roger Alfredo , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Perez, Carlos , Bank Employee, Charged: Part of a group of eight financial professionals allegedly engaged in wide-scale mortgage fraud.
Proctor, Alfredia Machell , Mortgage Broker, Pled: Schemed with the buyer, seller, and another party to secure a mortgage based upon fraudulent gift money.
Rice, Wayne , Mortgage Broker, Charged: After allegedly securing his mortgage broker license online, Rice allegedly helped the loan applicant provide false statements on the application.
Roque, Anna a/k/a Anna A. Pagani , Multiple Borrower, Pled: Obtained more than $4 million in loans based upon false and inflated income tax returns.
Torres, Lynn , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Mortgage broker who allegedly helped a loan applicant disguise a $24,000 deposit as his or her money.
Willberg, Mark , Realtor, Pled: Realtor helped loan applicant lie on mortgage application by inflating monthly income.

Jacksonville area

Alvarez, Jordan S. , Small Business Banker, Charged: Alvarez was allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme in which he provided false account verifications.
Baker, Sharon Keller , Office Manager at Title Company, Charged: Baker allegedly brought a property and forged the sellers’ signatures on a second, fraudulent application that had an inflated purchase price.
Campbell, Delvin R. , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Mortgage broker allegedly transmitted false and fraudulent documents to lenders to secure mortgages.
Cirlot, Joseph , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Mortgage broker allegedly helped secure mortgages using false and fraudulent information and then pocketed a portion of the sales price for improvements that were not made.
Clarkson, Cassie R. , Title Agent and Owner of Title Company, Charged: Title agent that allegedly engaged in a mortgage fraud scheme that included falsifying HUD-1 statements and buying the same property numerous times on the same day.
Dudley-Williams, Lashonda , Mortgage Professional, Charged: Mortgage professional allegedly helped a potential buyer obtain a mortgage by providing false employment verification.
Genus, Jennifer Rosemarie , Employee of Real Estate Development Company, Charged: Genus allegedly provided a false gift letter to a potential buyer to assist buyer in securing a fraudulent mortgage.
Gonzalez, Juan Carlos , Real Estate Investor, Pled: Gonzalez was part of a mortgage fraud scheme in which inflated appraisals and false mortgage applications were used to defraud lenders.
Gurlides, Donna Nelson , Real Estate Agent, Charged: Gurlides allegedly submitted a false and fraudulent mortgage application claiming she still received monthly rental income and owned a particular property - both allegedly untrue - and she allegedly failed to report she was a co-borrower on another loan.
Jones, Jean Tan , Real Estate Broker, Charged: Allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme in which potential buyers were induced into buying new, high-end homes with the promise of $100,000 rebates; Jones allegedly inflated sales prices and filed fraudulent HUD-1 statements.
Linville, Donald , Real Estate Loan Executive, Charged: Linville allegedly defrauded a financial institution by filing a false and altered property appraisal.
Miller, Timothy Lee , Owner of Home Selling Business, Charged: Miller allegedly defrauded a lending institution when he bought a home using false and fraudulent information and then pocketed $60,000 that was intended for improvements.
Reid, Christopher , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Reid was allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme wherein false HUD-1 statements were submitted at closing involving property improvements that were not made.
Rubin, Jeffrey , Realtor, Charged: Allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme in which potential buyers were induced into buying new, high-end homes with the promise of $100,000 rebates; Rubin allegedly helped to inflate sales prices and file fraudulent HUD-1 statements.
Russell, Mildred , Mortgage Broker Charged: Russell allegedly recruited buyers and created and forged mortgage documents to secure loans that these buyers would have otherwise been unqualified for.
Scott, Marshall Craig , Home Builder, Charged: Scott was allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme wherein false HUD-1 statements were submitted at closing involving property improvements that were not made. Scott allegedly helped to inflate sales prices and file fraudulent HUD-1 statements.
Strickland, Cynthia Darlene , Title and Closing Agent, Charged: Strickland was allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme that involved inflated appraisals and false mortgage applications to defraud lenders.
Tan, Fe , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme in which potential buyers were induced into buying new, high-end homes with the promise of $100,000 rebates; Tan allegedly helped to inflate sales prices and file fraudulent HUD-1 statements.
Westergom, Barry C. , Real Estate Appraiser, Pled: Westergom defrauded many lenders by inflating the appraisal of many homes and aided in the securing of fraudulent mortgages based upon those inflated values.
Wheeler, Winslow , Mortgage Broker, Charged: Wheeler was allegedly part of a mortgage fraud scheme wherein false HUD-1 statements were submitted at closing involving property improvements that were not made.

Orlando area

Bastien, Paul , Realtor, Charged: Realtor, along with a title agent and borrower, allegedly took part in a mortgage fraud scheme where purchase price was inflated and down payments were falsified.
Burke, Leslie P. , Real Estate Investor, Charged: Investor allegedly used straw purchasers to secure mortgages and then wired the proceeds to her own company.
Cedeno, Victor , Mortgage Company Employee, Charged: Through a series of bank accounts, held in the name of shell companies, Cedeno allegedly skimmed and stole funds from short sales he negotiated on behalf of his employer - at time of forfeiture, those accounts held in excess of $1.3 million.
Cendana, Ramon a/k/a Ray Cendana , Owner of Mortgage Company, Charged: Cendana, through his control of a mortgage company, allegedly stole the identities of other persons to secure bank loans for his own use and also allegedly diverted mortgage payoff funds for his own use.
Duffy, Daniel , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Husband, wife, and two associates allegedly flipped properties among themselves, applying for the loans based on false information, concealing their relationships, and pocketing the loan proceeds.
Griffin, Caroline D. , Title Agent, Charged: Title agent, along with a realtor and borrower, allegedly took part in mortgage fraud scheme where purchase price was inflated and down payments were falsified.
Lugo-Abreu, Edwin , Facilitator of Fraudulent Transfer Scheme, Pled: Lugo-Abreu was part of a group that targeted absentee owners by filing fraudulent deeds transferring ownership of such homes to themselves, selling the homes for a profit, and then allowing the homes to lapse into foreclosure.
Manley, Steven , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Husband, wife, and two associates allegedly flipped properties among themselves, applying for the loans based on false information, concealing their relationships, and pocketing the loan proceeds.
Martin, Garry S. , Real Estate Sales Agent, Pled: After being convicted in New York for mortgage fraud, Martin moved to Florida and engaged in various mortgage schemes and defrauded lenders out of more than $5 million.
McNulty, Raymond Griffin , Borrower, Charged: McNulty, along with a realtor and title agent, allegedly took part in a mortgage fraud scheme where purchase price was inflated and down payments were falsified.
Menjivar, Ana , Alleged Straw Purchaser, Charged: Menjivar allegedly secured numerous mortgages for condos using falsely inflated monthly income figures.
Moncher, Mark J. , Former Owner, “Dream Home Management”, Charged: Moncher allegedly recruited out-of-state family members to purchase homes and obtain fraudulent mortgages.
Nanan, Richard , Mortgage Company Employee, Charged: Nanan allegedly skimmed and stole funds from short sales he negotiated on behalf of his employer - at time of forfeiture, those accounts held in excess of $1.3 million.
Puglisi, Alfio Paulo , Real Estate Investor, Charged: Puglisi allegedly presented himself as a real estate investor and brought properties using the good credit of others under the false belief that these would be investment properties.
Sulbaran, Emily , Alleged Straw Borrower, Charged: Sulbaran allegedly secured numerous mortgages for condos using falsely inflated monthly income figures.
Torres, Nicole , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Husband, wife, and two associates allegedly flipped properties among themselves, applying for the loans based on false information, concealing their relationships, and pocketing the loan proceeds.
Tucci, Anthony , Multiple Borrower, Charged: Husband, wife, and two associates allegedly flipped properties among themselves, applying for the loans based on false information, concealing their relationships, and pocketing the loan proceeds.
Valdez, Genesis , Bank Employee, Charged: Valdez allegedly participated in the skimming and theft of funds from short sales negotiated on behalf of her co-conspirators’ employer - at time of forfeiture, those accounts held in excess of $1.3 million.

Previous entries

1. Sharon Keller Baker - title company employee Information

Sharon Baker was the office manager for Helwig & Todd Title Services, LLC in Jacksonville FL and is accused of a fraud where she agreed to purchase 312 Morris Loop, St Johns, FL for $1,900,000 with $1,098,843 due to the sellers. She obtained a $1,720,000 mortgage loan from Countrywide and agreed to provide a second mortgage back to the sellers in the sum of $180,000 however she did not record the second as required by law.

However at the closing in December 2005 at Fortress Title Baker is accused of preparing a false HUD-1 and altering the sales contract to reflect the sales price as $2,150,000 with $1,346,368 due to the seller.Countrywide provided the loan of $1,762,604. The title company transferred $2,112,252 to the account of Helwig and Todd. Baker then paid off the existing mortgages and the true amount due to the sellers which left an overage of $247,525 which had been fraudulently used to qualify her for the Countrywide loan. She then paid $459,425 back to Fortress Title.

2. Joseph Cirlot Indictment

Cirlot was a licensed mortgage broker in Florida [under license #MB0804384] which is now shown as inactive. On January 8, 2007 Cirlot closed a loan with First Magnus Financial Corp for the purchase of 6036 White Tip Road, Bartram Spings, Jacksonville, FL. The agreed sales price was $474,991.

On or about the same time an addendum was added to the Sales Agreement stating that the seller agreed to pay $60,000 to a FL corporation at closing. At the closing Cirlot caused a line item on the HUD-1 settlement statement to reflect a payment to the corporation for “home improvements/pool” for the subject. It is alleged that Cirlot knew that no such improvements had been made and and that he did not intend to make them. Cirlot allegedly received most of the $60,000 paid to the corporation.

[Editor Note: Florida State records shows that the following businesses appear to be owned by the defendant.